


If You Are A Number, You're Infinity Plus One

by Swing Set in December (swing_set13)



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (2012), Thor (2011)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-08-23
Updated: 2011-08-23
Packaged: 2017-10-23 00:12:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/244118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swing_set13/pseuds/Swing%20Set%20in%20December
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jane wished for once someone would join the academic decathlon team because they wanted to rather than for a science credit or because they vandalized another school. She can't be the only one out there who loves flash-cards, right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You can't join Mathletes, that's social suicide!

"I hope you realize the gravity of this," rumbles Heimdall from across his desk, steepling his fingers.

"I do," says Thor looking back at his principal. Better him facing Asgard's administration than his brother.

"Good, which is why I will not hear an argument from you in regards to joining the academic decathlon team," says Heimdall dryly.

"You jest, surely," laughs Thor.

"Indeed I do not," states Heimdall. "Unless you wish I would have words with your brother?"

Thor's shoulders sag.

Heimdall was no fool. Despite there being no evidence that Loki had a hand at vandalizing Jotunheim's trophy case, Heimdall would find grounds to and when it came down to it, Thor would do anything for his brother. It was the right thing to do. He was the eldest son and Loki was his responsibility.

Thor shook his head. Heimdall would have his way. He would endure. It is what his father taught him.

"Well, then," Heimdall says leaning back in his chair. "Amora? Send in Ms. Foster. We have a new candidate for her club."

Thor groans, his fate is sealed.

\---

"We participate in math challenges against other high schools in the state," Jane says, clutching her notebook to her chest as they finish their walk from the principal's office to the club room.

There is one girl in the room, nearly swallowed by her own hoodie, listening to music.

"I'm here for the science credit," the girl chimes in, non-pulsed. "And I was promised a _jacket_."

"That's Darcy," Jane sighs. "And we'll only get more funding if we get more members. So you should think about joining," she says looking at Thor, her dimpled smile nervous and hopeful all at the same time.

Thor's mouth went dry as he tried to figure out what he was supposed to say. His first instinct was to vehemently refuse her offer and storm back to Heimdall's office. But that would simply cause problems for Loki. He had no choice in joining.

He could tell her that but her enthusiasm was overwhelming and he wondered what it would take to have it directed at him.

"It would be an honor," he pledges finally, taking her right hand to his heart. He held her gaze with a soft smile. She did not need to know the circumstances of his admission.

Colour floods to Jane's face as she smiles, surprised at his change in attitude. She half expected him to laugh in her face. Nobody really cared about science in Asgard.

Darcy snorts. "I'm surrounded by dorks."

\---

Laying out the bleachers, Darcy tries to find the best angle to block out the sun. It's always so bright on Asgard campus. Anywhere else in town, it's dialed back. It's probably the administrations way to make school even more miserable. Just when she gets comfy, the sun decides to move. Groaning she sits up and starts digging through her purse for her sunglasses.

Jane promised a grape slurpee like twenty minutes ago. And all Darcy had to agree to was quizzing her again on physics. Apparently, this year's competition was fierce. Well as fierce as academic decathlon's get. Last year, two guys had a pretty heated shoving match.

Darcy's bored and thirsty. She looks at her iPod. It's been twenty _five_ minutes. She knows Jane will come back. Darcy has her flash cards. Jane is crazy about her notes. She flipped when Phil Coulson took her math notes without asking. Coulson now gives Jane a wide berth. Good riddance, Darcy's seen him eyeballing her iPod. That shit ain't right.

She debates in digging out a trashy romance book from her bag but gets distracted with practice on the field. There's your regular lunkheads and drones running around the track. Then there are pole-jumpers on one end of the field. The opposite side is archery.

Darcy snorts. Only Asgard would have an archery team. Though for a bunch of Robin Hood wannabees, some of them look hot.

Speaking of hot, she sees Thor jogging out to the field. Looks like there's a turf war with archery and football. Figures.

Jane is scrambling up the bleachers with two slurpees in her hands.

"'bout time," grumbles Darcy. Well that explains why Jane was late. She'd complain if she wasn't so busy enjoying icy delight.

"Sorry, I got held up," says Jane, her face turning pink, looking out to the field where Thor is gesturing to the field and the targets set up. He looks pretty pissed. So does the guy holding the bow Darcy observes by the wild arm movements. She can only see his ass, she's not gonna complain.

Brain-freeze. Not cool.

\---


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It should be illegal to look good in a gym uniform.

Gym teachers are sadists. Running a mile before class? Now that's just cruel and unusual punishment. 'Warm up, my eye,' Darcy thinks darkly, as she makes another pass around the track. She wasn't even allowed to run with her iPod. 'What are we, heathens?'

Jane's trailing behind her. If she spent as much time on flashcards as at the gym, she'd have some kick-ass cardio. The keeners are already done, stretching on the grass in the middle of the sports' field.

After her final lap, Darcy collapses on the grass. She could care less if she gets a cramp, it's so worth it. Jane stumbles next to her, bracing her hands on her knees.

"I think I'm dying," Jane gasps, clutching her side.

"I don't want to move for like a year," moans Darcy into the grass.

The shrill whistle from the gym teacher breaks their blissful sprawl on the grass.

Darcy leverages herself up using Jane and nearly takes them both down in a heap. They stumble to the middle of the field where the rest of the class was loosely assembling in a semi-circle around their gym teacher.

"So kind of you to join us, ladies," remarked Mr. Fury dryly. Darcy was prepared to drop down on the ground in protest but Jane was leaning on her like a crutch.

"Today we begin our unit of archery," Fury declares, addressing the entire class. Darcy can't decide if he's happy or angry. She usually ends up trying to figure out how he lost his left eye. Her newest theory is an archery class gone horribly wrong. "You are lucky enough to have our all-state champion with us today to show you how it's done."

Darcy snorts. Mr. Fury was infamous for building up Asgard's athletic program. He even poached a couple of players from rival schools. Most of the town was in love with him.

"Barton," Fury barks out clamping his right arm around ripped guy who actually looks good in the gym uniform. If it was even possible. "Show 'em how."

Darcy zones out as the boy wonder assumes a stance in front of the class towards the set of targets fifty feet away. He has a cute ass. Jane is squinting into the distance at the targets. The sun seems extra bright today.

There is some stilted clapping when he hits the bull's eye five time in a row before Fury makes them break up into pairs.

"Do you know how to do this?" Jane asks, plucking halfheartedly at her bow.

"Can't be that _hard_ ," Darcy says grabbing a handful of arrows. If Kevin Costner, Keira Knightley and Russell Crowe can do it, it should be at least doable. "I'll go first, shall I?"

"Were you even paying attention?"

"What's there to know? Pull back arrow and let it go, easy-peasy," Darcy says pulling up her bow and letting the rest of the arrows except one drop to the ground.

"I guess," Jane says glaring at her bow like it's an exceptionally hard Calculus problem. Gym is the only class where Jane isn't getting an A. If it keeps her from becoming valedictorian, Darcy's gonna key Fury's car.

Knocking the bow, she let's it fly - it sails all about two feet. "Well that went as well as I thought it would," she says dryly. "I'd say that's at least a C+."

Jane picks up an arrow from the dog pile on the ground and takes Darcy's place in front of the target. She knocks the arrow in place and let's go.

"Ow!" Jane yelps, clutching her face, dropping the bow. Instead of going forward at the release, the arrow slipped through Jane's fingers and went backwards towards her face. If Darcy wasn't standing next to her, she wouldn't believe it happened.

"Oh my God! Are you okay?" Darcy asks, pulling at Jane's hand, trying to get a good look at the damage. Jane's face is a red under her right eye.

"Tell me, why is it there is always an issue with you two ladies?" Fury asks, appearing out of nowhere. Jane and Darcy both jump in surprise.

Darcy hazards a guess. "Because we're awesome?"

He appraises them both with a stony face. "Accompany Ms. Foster to Dr. Erskine's office for ice. I'm docking you both participation marks."

Darcy glares at his back as he walks back to the Robin Hood wannabe. She's so going to key his car whether Jane makes valedictorian or not.

\---


End file.
